Taking responsibility

Many politicians and celebrities today say that they “take full responsibility” for major errors and even crimes they have committed.

Their words, however, are often rather empty: they make few changes in their lives and they try to evade any real consequences for their malefactions.

The people in today’s first reading (Baruch 1:15-22) are heartbreakingly clear about their own responsibility.

By the grace of God, may we be able to take real responsibility for our sins, have true contrition and purpose of amendment, and open ourselves fully to the forgiving love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Justice is with the Lord, our God;
and we today are flushed with shame,
we... have sinned in the Lord’s sight
and disobeyed him.

We have neither heeded the voice of the Lord, our God,
nor followed the precepts which the Lord set before us.
From the time the Lord led our ancestors
out of the land of Egypt
until the present day,
we have been disobedient to the Lord, our God,
and only too ready to disregard his voice.

And the evils and the curse
that the Lord enjoined upon Moses, his servant,
at the time he led our ancestors
forth from the land of Egypt
to give us the land flowing with milk and honey,
cling to us even today.

For we did not heed the voice of the Lord, our God,
in all the words of the prophets whom he sent us,
but each one of us went off
after the devices of his own wicked heart,
served other gods,
and did evil in the sight of the Lord, our God.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, be merciful to me – a sinner.